It Happened to Jane (1959)

One of my all time favorites.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

You'd think with two actors who are masters in comic timing-Jack Lemmon and Doris Day-their film together would be a smash hit. I still think if they'd been given a different script they'd have made a fantastic movie, but the plot of It Happened to Jane just doesn't work. Doris Day plays a single mother and career woman. Jack Lemmon plays her lawyer. See what I mean?Doris's company sells lobsters, but when Ernie Kovacs crosses her, she and Jack sue him and wind up in a nasty court battle. On the whole, the film isn't really a drama and it isn't really a comedy. It's a neutral film without much pizzazz, despite the natural pizzazz of the two leading stars. Plus, there's very little to root for. Doris's character isn't particularly likable, since she puts more focus on her business and pride than her children, and Jack's character mostly fades into the background until it's time for him to make a speech.If you absolutely love the two leads and like watching all their movies, go ahead and rent It Happened to Jane. Just don't expect much out of it. And then rent Irma la Douce afterwards, for a truly energetic, entertaining Jack Lemmon movie.

Doris Day is an astute businesswoman who deals in the mass production of Lobsters. When her latest delivery goes awry due to incompetence of the E&P Railroad, she decided to take them on. All while affairs of the heart try to come into play.Nothing really wrong with the film as such, it's all very harmless, a pleasant romantic comedy, with a likable cast (Jack Lemmon & Ernie Kovacs join Day)to while away the time with. It's just not a very interesting story, one where the love arc plays second fiddle to a bunch of over cooked sequences elsewhere. Whilst what could have been a strong feminist front never quite gets driven home. 6/10

This film was produced by Doris Day's husband at the time, Marty Melcher.The film is set in Maine. Doris Day is the owner of a tiny company that sells lobsters. When a shipment of hers is allowed by the railroad to sit for several days instead of sending it to the customers, the lobsters die and her company loses several important contracts. She contacts the railroad to have them pay damages and they agree to pay the going rate for the lobsters. However, Day isn't about to just accept this--her company reputation has been harmed and she is without customers. And, she hires her goofy friend (Jack Lemmon) to represent her in a lawsuit, as the railroad isn't about to budge. Normally, you'd think that the railroad would just pay her off, but the owner (Ernie Kovacs--who is very difficult to recognize under all the makeup) refuses. The case is decided in Day's favor, but the lawyers for the railroad mean business and promise to tie this up in appeals for years--even though the amount is only a couple thousand dollars. Fortunately, the judge must have really felt that the railroad was acting in bad faith, and so Day is awarded one of the railroad's engines to hold until they do pay. Soon, things escalate wildly out of proportion, as the story hits the national newspapers and the public support for this tiny company against an uncaring corporation is strong. So strong, in fact, that Day becomes an instant celebrity. As the case escalates further and further, where is all this going to lead?! The railroad is mean and nasty and they aren't about to give in--nor is Day.Despite losing money and being considered one of Day's 'lesser' films, I enjoyed this little civics lesson very much. Kovacs was quite enjoyable as the evil corporate giant and the script was fresh and amazingly original. If you like this film, try watching "Solid Gold Cadillac"--a film with a similar one lady versus corporate big-wigs script.

As the tag line says, it could have happened to anyone, but it happened to Jane. What is it? It's this nice story of Jane, who inherited a lobster business from her dad and her struggles to get them to restaurants etc. due to "the meanest man in the world" Ernie Kovacs, the man who owns the train service that goes through her little town in Maine. Jack Lemmon is a local attorney who's been friends with her since so high. For such an unknown movie, you would think it's pretty lame. It's not what I would call a laugh-a-minute or a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it's very good at creating character and life in Cape Anne, Maine. They make us care very much about the people in this small town, but the battle between Ernie and Doris gets out of control and in the last half hour, one tends to lose some interest. But overall, a pleasant diversion for Jack and Doris fans, with a dashing Steve Forrest to boot, to give Jack a run for his money. Who will win Doris' hand? Well, it happens like this...